Article

Major layoffs coming to Fort Madison plant

The biggest cuts will come in Fort Madison, where 407 workers at a wind turbine blade factory will be out of work. About 220 workers there will be retained. The company blamed difficult market conditions due to lack of congressional action on a wind energy tax credit as well as increased use of natural gas-fired power plants and an overall sluggish economy.

FT. MADISON, IOWA -- Siemens Corporation has announced a major layoff at their facility in Fort Madison.

A wind energy equipment manufacturer says it will lay off 615 workers in Iowa, Kansas and Florida in part because Congress has not renewed a tax credit for wind energy.

Steve Bisenius, executive director of the Lee County Economic Development Group said that it's a sad day for both the county and the region.

"It is stunning, unbelievable," he said. "We look at the wind industry and see that there is a slowdown in the industry. No question, one cannot be totally surprised." Steve Bisenius, executive director of the Lee County Economic Development Group, said.

The biggest cuts will come in Fort Madison, where 407 workers at a wind turbine blade factory will be out of work. About 220 workers there will be retained.

The company blamed difficult market conditions due to lack of congressional action on a wind energy tax credit as well as increased use of natural gas-fired power plants and an overall sluggish economy.

In a statement, Siemens says the industry is... more [truncated due to possible copyright]

FT. MADISON, IOWA -- Siemens Corporation has announced a major layoff at their facility in Fort Madison.

A wind energy equipment manufacturer says it will lay off 615 workers in Iowa, Kansas and Florida in part because Congress has not renewed a tax credit for wind energy.

Steve Bisenius, executive director of the Lee County Economic Development Group said that it's a sad day for both the county and the region.

"It is stunning, unbelievable," he said. "We look at the wind industry and see that there is a slowdown in the industry. No question, one cannot be totally surprised." Steve Bisenius, executive director of the Lee County Economic Development Group, said.

The biggest cuts will come in Fort Madison, where 407 workers at a wind turbine blade factory will be out of work. About 220 workers there will be retained.

The company blamed difficult market conditions due to lack of congressional action on a wind energy tax credit as well as increased use of natural gas-fired power plants and an overall sluggish economy.

In a statement, Siemens says the industry is seeing a significant drop in new wind turbine orders.

The company received $3.4 million in tax incentives under the U.S. Department of Energy's manufacturing tax credit program for the Fort Madison facility expansion, according to the company's Web site. In total, the company currently employs 600 people in Fort Madison with more than 150 indirect jobs created by its presence in the city.

Bisenius said that his organization will contact the offices of U.S. Sens. Grassley and Harkin to see what effort can be taken to get the tax credit extended.

Harkin, who visited the plant in August, released a statement Tuesday.

"I'm surprised and disappointed by today's announcement about the impact on the affected workers and their families," the Cumming, Iowa Democrat said. "Today, my thoughts are with each of them."

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